The owners of B’s Cracklin’ Barbeque in Coffee Bluff say they’ve signed a lease at a nearby location and plan to reopen the ill-fated and well-loved restaurant as soon as possible.

The small Coffee Bluff Villa Road barbecue eatery caught fire early June 11, forcing Bryan and Nikki Furman to shutter the business. B’s had just been named one of the South’s top barbecue joints by Southern Living.

Community support for the Furmans has swelled since the fire, with fundraisers being organized to help them get back on their feet.

Nikki Furman says she and Bryan signed a lease on a small unit at the shopping center off White Bluff and Windsor roads Aug. 1.

It’s tiny and not currently outfitted for cooking, though, so they’re hoping a fundraiser Aug. 14 in Thunderbolt can help them expand to a bigger location. There are, after all, a lot of people hungry for Bryan’s cooking.

The appeal expands beyond Savannah. The Furmans traveled to two barbecue events recently, one in Decatur and one in Asheville, N.C. At both places, Nikki said, locals offered to fund them if they moved after trying their food.

“Everybody keeps trying to pull us elsewhere,” Nikki said. “We can’t leave Savannah. Savannah has just been too good us.”

The Furmans even have some local barbecue groupies.

“We’ve had people from Savannah come follow us to (Decatur) just to get some B’s Cracklin’ Barbecue.”

Initially, their plan was to rebuild B’s at the same spot as the original location, which had only been open a few months before it burned down. Financial and other constraints prevented that, they said.

“That’s exactly where we wanted to be was the same location,” Nikki said. “That’s where it all started ... At the same time, that’s not going to stop us and get us down.”

They hope Savannah’s barbecue fans are willing to support them during a fundraiser at RNR Home Improvements on Rowland Avenue.

Bryan will cook all the chicken, pork and ribs being served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pre-orders for rib slabs and pork by the pound must be made by Aug. 10 by calling 912-330-6921. They’ve also received some kegs of beer to help out with the fundraiser.

“We just can’t thank everybody enough,” Nikki said.

More Info

Breakout Box:

IF YOU GO

What: Fundraiser for B’s Cracklin’ Barbeque

When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday

Where: RNR Home Improvements, 2221 Rowland Ave. in Thunderbolt

Cost: Chicken lunch is $10; pork lunch is $12; includes beans and slaw